But since February I have had a boss from hell who has given me so many bad days, including today, that I really needed a drink. In all honesty, I needed something stronger than wine so my choice was a Single Malt Scotch: The Balvenie Madeira Cask 17 year old.
Single Malt scotch refers to a scotch that comes from a single distillery in which malted barley is infused with water, fermented with yeast and distilled in a still-pot. The Balvenie is a castle and distillery in the Speyside region of Scotland that has been producing artisanally-crafted scotch since 1892.
Hard to believe something so exquisite to drink comes from malted barley grain! It is a light amber colored elixir and upon sniffing (once you get past the burning of your nasal passages) this Scotch has woody, spicy (white pepper), floral(lavender) and honey aromas. Because I take my Scotch straight up it burns my palate a bit but it then mellows into honied, fruity velvet with a hint of sweetness and a lovely linger of honey, dried figs and white pepper.
Now that I have given my palate a treat I am ready to give in to that feeling of letting go of my cares and worries until tomorrow. Thank you, Scotch! Or, as our anonymous Cuban bloggercolleague from “On the Fritz.com so eloquently put it:
“Indeed, the beauty of Scotch lies in the fact the whole body tastes the first sip. As much jolting as magnificent, the liquid – at least initially – brings a heavy dose of clarity to why the evening or afternoon has come. That somehow right now, maybe for the first time, you’re doing exactly what you should be doing. It all makes sense - even if sense is something your life has not made a whole lot of lately.”
Ah, yes…clarity in a bottle.
